Chrissy was burned over 85% of her body after a horrific house fire. Despite many surgeries, she keeps moving forward – even competing internationally.
Published February 19, 2026
Strength, Hope and the Power of Never Giving Up
When Christina “Chrissy” Aitken was five years old, her life changed forever. In September 1994, she was badly burned in a house fire on the west side of Cleveland. She lost her two sisters and her grandmother in the fire, and she survived with burns on 85% of her body.
Chrissy spent nine months in MetroHealth’s Burn Unit. She had many surgeries to stop infections and to save her life. Because of her injuries, doctors had to remove her hands and feet. Shortly after her sixth birthday, she moved to a children’s therapy center to continue her recovery.
For years, Chrissy had surgery every three to six months. She also did physical and occupational therapy three times a week. When she became a teenager, the surgeries slowed to about once a year. Even with all the challenges, Chrissy kept moving forward. In 2013, she earned an associate degree in early childhood education from Cuyahoga Community College.
And she didn’t stop there.
Finding Her Passion in Para Sports
Chrissy now competes in para equestrian sports. She takes part in a type of competition called para driving. In this sport, the driver sits in a carriage pulled by one horse or pony and competes in three events: dressage, marathon, and obstacle driving.
In 2023, Chrissy traveled outside the United States for the first time to compete in the FEI Para Driving World Championship in The Netherlands. She spent five weeks there, including three weeks training with a horse she leased for the event. Chrissy earned a bronze medal in her division and placed 10th overall out of 27 competitors from 17 countries. Team USA also won the silver medal.
“The championship had an electric feel,” Chrissy said. “It was pretty neat to interact with the other drivers.”
In 2025, Chrissy was chosen as an alternate for the next World Championship but decided not to travel to Germany because it was too expensive without a guaranteed spot.
Her Love of Animals
Chrissy has always loved animals. But she didn’t ride a horse until college, when someone gifted her riding lessons that had been donated to a fundraising event for Burn Camp. She took lessons for a year, helping at the barn once a week to earn them. After that, she tried carriage driving and fell in love with it. It was something she could do as a para athlete—and do well.
In 2020, she got her own horse, Prince Charming. They trained together in Florida every winter. Sadly, Prince Charming passed away in late 2025 after a long medical issue.
At home in Parma Heights, Chrissy lives with her cat, Cosmo, and her two yellow Labradors: Huey, her service dog, and Triton, a therapy dog she received while Huey recovered from surgery. Both dogs are certified through Canine Companions, where Chrissy volunteers and serves as vice president of the Northern Ohio chapter.
Living Independently and Helping Others
Chrissy’s home is set up to make life easier. She has wider doorways, Bluetooth door locks she can open with her phone, lights she controls with her voice, and a walk-in shower. She also uses a minivan she calls “Marshmallow,” which has special hand controls so she can drive.
She stays active in her community, volunteering at an adult day center once a week and helping with puppy socialization outings for Canine Companions. She also raises money for horse shows by decorating and selling repurposed horseshoes.
Chrissy continues to train in hopes of qualifying again for the 2027 world championship.
A Lifelong Connection to MetroHealth
Chrissy visits MetroHealth every month so nurse Andrea Gallup can flush her chest port, which helps her avoid frequent needle sticks. Andrea has known Chrissy for about 12 years and is also part of the surgical team when Chrissy needs procedures related to her burn injuries.
Chrissy has stayed in touch with many people who helped care for her from the beginning, including retired physician Dr. Richard Fratianne and nurse AnnMarie Gorman, who cared for Chrissy early in her recovery.
In 2023, Chrissy attended the MetroHealth Resiliency Run, which raises money for trauma and burn survivors.
“I’m still in touch with my Burn Camp family,” she said. “MetroHealth has connected me with so many different people.”
For more information, visit our Physical and Occupational Therapy website: metrohealth.org/physical-therapy or call: 216-778-4167.
As a Level I Trauma Center and Burn Center, MetroHealth has specialized units to help people with stroke, brain and spinal cord injury, and major trauma recover from serious and complex injuries.
